


We Happy Few

by friedlieb_ferdinand_runge



Series: The Flower Shop Adoption AU [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Family, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Human, Anxiety, Bullying, Deceit Is Trying His Hardest, Don't Know If It's A SLow Burn Because I'm Impatient, Dyslexia, Eating Disorders, Emile Wins Best Brother Award, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Help, Homophobic Language, Hurt Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Logan Is A Frick Fracken Good Dad Fite Me, M/M, Married Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Minor Original Character(s), Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Past Drug Use, Past Relationship(s), Remy Has Issues, Remy's Glasses Are Magic, Roman Needs Validation, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Verbal Abuse, Virgil Needs Protection, but we will see, eventually, they just are, this was going to be a one shot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-03-07 01:29:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18862975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/friedlieb_ferdinand_runge/pseuds/friedlieb_ferdinand_runge
Summary: Logan Sanders is many things, a father, a teacher, a widow… one thing he never thought he could be, was with Patton Moore.(PLEASE READ THE TAGS)





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> So... this is what happens when I write a one shot at midnight and don't stop thinking about it all night. It turns into a full blown fic.
> 
> No warnings for this chapter other than sympathetic Deceit. (The childs name is Declan)

It had been a busy day, as it always was so close to Father’s Day. Customers flooded in and out of the shop, wives looking for something pretty and fairly cheap for their home, daughters looking for something more expensive for the inevitable Father’s Day dinner. Occasionally someone’s son would come in, looking like they didn’t want to be seen there, they’d buy a couple roses (horrible choice for a father, really) and leave again.

Patton’s favorites were the small children, tugging on their caretakers hand and shoving just enough money onto the counter to buy a single flower. Their eyes shone the brightest and it made his day a little lighter every time.

It was four now, an hour to close, and the crowd had died down to almost nothing. Patton expected a few more strangling wives or rushed friends before he flipped the sign on the door to, “Sorry, we’re closed.”

Something Patton was not expecting, however, was a white and red clad extravagant teen with enough mischief on his face to spark concern, walk into the shop with a smile on his face.

Patton plastered on his customer smile as the kid made his way to the front of the shop, looking more and more discouraged yet intrigued at the large variety of flowers.

“Can I help you find something kiddo?” Patton asked sweetly.

He snapped his head up to look at him, “Why yes! I am looking for something splendid for my dear father!”

Unlike most young men who walked into his shop, this one didn’t seem ashamed at all to say it. Patton grinned, “Of course. There are a lot of options for Father’s Day, what’s your price range?”

He seemed to contemplate the question before shaking his head, “Price is never an issue!”

Patton wasn’t going to be ashamed for being happy about that. The shop hadn’t been doing all that well lately anyway.

“Okay, I’d recommend mums and lilies as a start, lilies mean ‘devotion’ and mums mean ‘joy’.” At the young mans nod, Patton began to put the bouquet together, “Any preference for the fillers?”

Looking alarmed, the teen rubbed the back of his neck, “Are there any that mean immeasurable thanks and love?”

Appreciating that he cared enough to say something other then “just throw some bright colored stuff in there”, Patton nodded and finished off the flowers.

As he tied on the blue wrap the teen had picked out, Patton studied him. He looked impatient, but not about him. He kept checking the door like he was waiting for someone.

Just then, the bell above the door rang lightly. Patton smiled, “Virgil! Looking for something for your father?”

The teen looked between them, a faint trace of panic on his face. Virgil put a hand on his arm, “I’ve been here a few times Roman, it’s fine.”

The teen -Roman- nodded, “Did you get it?”

Virgil held up a brown package triumphantly, “Dad’s going to love it.”

“You’re siblings?” Patton asked good naturedly. Virgil’s dad had been one of his best customers for years, Patton’s day was brightened whenever he walked into the store, sensible shoes tapping against the soft wood.

“Yeah,” Virgil answered quietly, shooting a small smile at Roman, “adopted,” he added, and Roman made a face at him.

Patton laughed and handed over the bouquet, “Your dad is a lucky man.”

“Trust me, we are by far the lucky ones.” Patton could believe that. Roman passed him a few bills, “So you’re the infamous flower clerk he’s always talking about?”

Patton’s breath caught and he forced out a laugh, “He talks about me?” God, he sounded like a high schooler.

Virgil laughed his small tentative laugh and nodded, “Too be honest, he doesn’t see much point in flowers outside of gardens, it’s how we can tell he really likes you.”

“Oh!” Oh? “I like him too.”

Brightening even more if possible, Roman nodded, “I’m Roman,” he said, gesturing at himself with a sweeping bow.

“I’m Patton.”

A weird expression settled over Virgil’s face and he tugged on Roman’s arm, whispering something into his ear. Roman stepped back, rolled his eyes at him, and turned back to Patton, “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

That was definitely not what Patton was expecting, “I couldn’t intrude on your Father’s Day dinner.” He said hurriedly.

“You won’t be, dad would like it,” Roman said, standing slightly in front of his brother. Patton wondered if that was habit for him.

Surprisingly, he found himself agreeing. Virgil’s face lit up, reminding Patton of the children he’d seen earlier in the day, “We’re going to that balcony restaurant down the block, Remy’s work?” He looked at Roman for conformation.

“Yes. We meet at Harbor Banquet as the clock strikes six,” he finished, giving Virgil a chance to roll his eyes this time.

They were out the door before Patton could change his mind, and he found himself smiling after them, he couldn’t wait for six.

* * *

 

When the time to close finally came, Patton was on the edge of his seat. He swept and took care of the flowers in record time. After locking the doors, Patton walked quickly up the backstairs to his loft set above the shop. It smelled like mayflower due to the new order that came that morning, and something about that fit.

Patton changed more than once. Indecisive on just how formal he should be. Not wanting to be underdressed, he put on black dress pants and a light blue button up, matching it with a tan cardigan, put on instead of his casual wrapped-around-the-shoulders look.

He took it off the second he realized he looked like a politician or a lawyer.

Finally deciding on skinny jeans and a short sleeve (but still blue) top, Patton nodded to himself. He checked His watch, “Butternuts,” he muttered, It was already fifteen to.

Desperately trying not to ruin his new shoes on the soppy sidewalks, Patton made it to Harbor Banquet right on time. Awkwardly standing in front of the restaurant, he began to wonder if they were already inside.

A voice calling his name told him differently. Virgil waved at him, a small parade surrounding him.

Patton waved back, smiling.

There were four of them, other than Logan. All looking at their father with the same admiring expression.

The oldest one, looking at the most nineteen, looked him up and down with a steady eye before sticking out his hand with a bright grin, “I’m Emile.”

Patton took the odd name in a stride. Working in customer service, they’d met people with much weirder titles (like ‘Walmart’. That poor little boy).

They seemed to win a few points with Emile because of it, he nodded and stepped to the side.

“I am Declan.” The last one said, he lifted the black hat off his head in greeting, “Salutations.”

Patton smiled, giggling a little at his interesting demeanor, “Patton.”

Declan nodded. “We know,” he said with a wink.

Not knowing what to do with that, Patton just smiled again and let the group pass him to check in.

Logan stayed back with him, gloved hand wrapped around his his car keys, “Thank you for coming. It really is appreciated.”

“Of course,” Patton pulled at his fingers anxiously, “I wouldn’t miss it for the fluffiest puppy.” he cringed away at how sappy that sounded, but Logan just smiled the perfect small smile of his and chuckled. Something Patton had never heard him do before. His laugh was light and flawless, just like everything about him.

Patton caught himself staring and quickly looked away, gesturing to the restaurant and the waiting group, “Shall we?”

Logan nodded and matched his stride. On the balcony, a clear view of the lake was visible. Lights from the city reflecting off it in a way that cast everything in a dull glow.

Who ever said the city wasn’t beautiful?

Patton waited until everyone had claimed a chair to sit, not missing how Roman gently pushed Emile to the side when he tried to sit by Logan, leaving the chair for Patton.

They sat at a table set with six places, Patton wondered if someone else would be joining them, another child? A spouse?

Patton shuddered at that thought and turned his attention to his menu, scanning for something in his price range.

“So Patton,” Declan started. Patton suddenly felt like he was back in high school, being grilled by his first boyfriends parents. Declan spun his fork through his fingers, “How much is your yearly income?”

Patton blinked. For how polite his father was, the kid didn’t have very good manners.

“Now Declan,” Logan chided sternly if not a little amused, “why don’t we leave that conversation until after we order?”

Declan shrugged and turned back to his menu.

In the end, Patton ended up ordering a simple salad, and a small plate of spaghetti when Logan insisted.

Roman also had to be an persuaded to eat more. His decision even smaller then Patton’s.

“You can’t just get garlic knots Roman,” Emile insisted.

Roman shrugged, “I had a big breakfast.”

“Liar,” Virgil spoke up, “I was there at breakfast, you barely ate anything.”

Logan turned to him with a concerned look, “Are you not feeling well?”

“No, dad,” Roman sputtered, “I’m just not hungry.”

Despite that, Logan ordered him a bowl of cream soup when the waiter came around. Roman huffed at him in return.

Emile groaned loudly when the waiter set down his pasta, he took a bite and sighed, “Delicious. Though-“ he waved his dripping fork at Logan, “-not as good as yours, father dear.”

“I’ll take that compliment babe,” A new voice said. A man wearing sunglasses despite the late hour and a white and stained restaurant uniform slumped into the empty seat. Inwardly, Patton sighed in relief. The young man was far too young to be Logan’s husband. Not that he thought Logan was old! On closer inspection, he realized he had to be Emile’s identical twin.

“Don’t,” Declan said, faking disgust, “I thought you weren’t off for another twenty minutes Remy?”

“Gurl. The boss here loves me, remember? I can take all the time I want.”

Despite the obvious disgruntledness at Remy’s word choice, Logan smiled at him proudly and sat back, accidentally flicking Virgil with soup from his spoon. Roman scoffed at Virgil’s face, the kid had been eating his own soup completely unassuming when the drops hit him.

Virgil glared and dipped a finger into his bowl, flicking it off into Roman’ face. Roman gave him a look that was between shocked and proud.

“You work here?” Patton asked Remy casually, stifling a laugh.

Remy shrugged, “Yep. As a cook. Apparently it can be pretty stress relieving.”

“You could even say it’s Remydial,” Patton shot back with a smile. Logan let out an almost amused groan.

“You-” Remy pointed at Patton with a smile, “-I like you.”

“As do I! You are a honorable and humorous man!” Roman announced.

Virgil rolled his eyes, “You’re insufferable Princey.”

“Says the guy who only ever wears black and purple.”

“You only wear white and red!”

“Excuse you Dark and Stormy, I am full rainbow.”

“I hate you.”

“How long have you been working at the flower shop?” Emile asked lightly, ignoring his brothers and popping a piece of tofu into his mouth.

Patton hummed, “Oh, four years, ever since I opened it.”

“How long have you been going, dad?” Was Emile’s next question.

“Well, four years,” Logan replied, clinical as ever.

“You guys have known each other for a while,” Declan commented.

Patton looked at his lap to mask the flush on his cheeks, out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Logan ducked his own head to the side towards Declan.

The dinner passed too quickly, child like banter and plenty of eye rolls that had Patton almost falling off his chair in laughter. They teased each other endlessly, including Logan, but he could tell how well they got along.

After a good hour, Roman yelped suddenly, glaring at Remy, “What was that for?”

“Are you going to give it to him?”

Pausing to remember what he was giving, Roman finally seemed to understand, “Yeah, yeah, you didn’t have to kick me.” He mumbled and looked at Virgil expectantly.

Virgil smiled and pulled the brown package Patton had seen earlier out from under his chair, “This is for you, dad.”

“Oh no, I already got flowers!” Logan persisted, waving his hands.

“Dad!” Emile admonished, “Flowers are just a formality on Father’s Day.”

“Really dad, it’s important that you have it,” Virgil insisted.

So Logan took it, unwrapping it carefully with limber hands. Inside was a pin, the design a brain with glasses. Patton recognized it from a shirt Logan wore on occasion, the logo for his online school.

Logan shook his head. “Oh my.”

Faces around the table dropped slowly, looking around, confused. Emile shifted, “You don’t like it?”

Reaching his hand across the table to pat his, Logan shook his head. The words seemed to stick in his throat until he finally got out, “It’s the most clever gift you could’ve chosen. Sensible as well.”

His eyes landed on Patton then, and he wasn’t sure why. But the fuzzy feeling in his chest felt nice, and he smiled.

Declan took it from him, leaning in to carefully pin it to his jacket, “Virgil designed it at school with Roman’s help, I helped weld it, and everyone else pitched in to help pay for the extra supplies.”

Logan put a hand over it and adjusted his glasses with the other. He looked around the table, “I know I am not all the knowledgeable when it comes to feelings..” he cleared his throat, “you children have been the best part of who I am. I would do anything for you all. Thank you for such a satisfactory day.”

Patton sat back, feeling as if he was intruding on something private.

Emile smiled at his brothers, looking triumphant, before his gaze turned back to Logan, “It’s what you deserve dad.”

A chorus of agreements followed, and Patton couldn’t help but nod along.

Their dynamic was sweet. He didn’t think he could remember ever doing something like this with his father, even though they were on good terms. Patton smiled as he looked around the table and realized he wouldn’t mind having a family like this.

Declan cleared his throat, apparently having enough of the touchy-feely stuff, “Should we call for the bill?”

From the look he sent around the table, Patton couldn’t help but wonder if there was some sort of secret meaning behind the words.

Emile nodded, standing, “I’ve got it.”

“No way! You paid last time,” Declan argued, standing with him.

“I can handle it my comrades,” Roman offered, flipping back a chunk of wavy hair from his face.

Emile shook his head, “You’re fifteen.”

“I’ve been saving for something special.”

“You’re not spending all your savings on one dinner Ro.”

Looking around, Patton held back a snort as he watched Declan walking away, wallet in hand. Emile noticed soon after he did, hissing for him to come back as Remy stood with a sigh to follow, saying something about them technically not needing to pay at all because the boss loved him and could Declan please slow down.

Emile just sighed, shook his head, and stood, “Roman and I are going to see a movie.”

Roman made a face, “We are?” at Emile’s glare, he sat up in a hurry, “Right! Movie!” Yep. definitely a secret meaning. Patton held back the hundredth laugh of the night.

His face only falling slightly before the tiny smile returned, Logan nodded and stood, “Of course, have an enjoyable time.”

Roman climbed over his chair, much to a waiters -and Logan’s- disapproval, to hug him, whispering something in his ear that made Logan turn red and swat him.

To Patton’s surprise, Logan hugged him back after that. He pulled away quickly, clearing his throat and watching Emile drag Roman away.

Since everyone else was standing, Patton though it best for him to stand as well, arm brushing against Logan’s in a way that shot pins and needles up his side, making his head fuzzy.

Logan tilted his head to smile softly at him, “Did you enjoy your meal?”

“I did,” Patton shuffled his foot against the balcony floor, “It was nice, seeing you outside of the shop.”

His only reply was another nod.

Remy rushed up to them, a glint in his eye that told Patton he most definitely won the ‘who pays for dinner’ war, and left him feeling a little less guilty he didn’t chip in his fair share.

“What happened to Declan?” Logan asked, unassuming. It would be funny if it weren’t so adorable.

“Oh,” Remy looked at Virgil for help, “bowling?”

“Bowling?” Virgil repeated incredulously. Remy shrugged.

“Alone?” Logan asked, wrinkling his eyebrows.

Virgil laughed nervously, “Yeah dad… Declan’s a weirdo, been telling you for years.”

Holding out Virgil’s coat so he could slip it on, Remy huffed, “Hey dad, me and Virgil-”

“Virgil and I,” Logan cut Remy off, pulling his gloves back on.

Remy smiled in a tight way and nodded, “Virgil and I, have some errands to run, can we meet you at the house later?”

Tilting his head as if trying to convey he was disappointed without actually saying it, Logan’s smile echoed Remy’s, “You won’t need help?”

“We’re okay dad, really,” Virgil answered, pulling a little at Remy as if to say ‘hurry up’. There wasn’t any doubt anymore. Patton knew what this was.

It was sweet of them, really. But he was almost sure that Logan would rather spend his time with his kids on Father’s Day then some random acquaintance from a flower shop.

After Remy and Virgil had given their father hugs and bid their goodbyes, Patton was left rocking on his heels, unsure.  

“Well, shall I call you a taxi?” Logan asked, smile plastered on once again.

Patton shook his head, “I’m not far, I’d rather walk anyway.”

Something in Logan’s expression lightened as he began making his way out of the restaurant, “Really? A good walk always clears my head.”

“I feel the same way.”

“Perhaps we could walk together?”

Patton smiled at his shoes. “I’d like that.”

After ten minutes of walking, Patton realized they should probably be back to their shop by now. “I have a confession.”

Logan tilted his head, “Oh?”

“I may have gotten us lost.”

“I know.”

“You know?” A laugh escaped his lips, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“The best way to learn is to figure it out yourself,” Logan recited, before bumping into Patton lightly, “though I’ll admit, it may just be the way you look when you’re confused.”

“What does that mean?”

“Oh… what is that phrase Remy is always using? ‘Slaying’.”

Patton bust out laughing, his eyes crinkling, “Oh- oh my. Thank you? You’re uh, you’re slayin’ too.”

Logan looked absurdly happy about that and Patton laughed again. Almost as soon, he stopped, watching Logan duck his head as his cheeks flushed bright crimson.

His head was still ducked when Patton rested a hand on his arm, linking around his elbow. Logan looked up to a smiling Patton, walking in a way that was almost a waltz, arm in arm with him.

“It really is a beautiful night,” He said after a few moments.

It took even longer for Patton to reply, he was entranced by the way Logan seemed to glide, head high and posture perfect.

“I think it may rain,” Logan said before Patton could answer.

Almost on cue, a drop of moisture hit Patton’s upturned face and he smiled, “How did you do that?”

“The weather forecast predicted an eighty eight percent chance that it would rain after sundown.”

“You remember that?”

“Of course I do. A lot of Declan’s job is outdoors, he could catch pneumonia without the proper attire.”

The duo quickened their pace as the rain began to fall faster. Patton finally recognized the street they were on, turning left and pulling Logan with him.

They stumbled into the flower shop a good minute after it began to pour, Patton’s hair was soaked and Logan’s outfit was darkened with speckled rain drops.

Logan looked back at the door, the sound of the rains pitter patter still very audible, and began to chuckle. Patton laughed with him.

“Nothing like a brisk walk in the rain,” Logan commented, huffing out a scoff.

Patton shook his head, “I swear there weren’t any clouds when I left for the restaurant.” a warm feeling in his hands made him realize he was holding Logan’s. Apparently they’d latched onto each other as they ran.

Logan fell silent when he noticed and matched Patton’s look, eyes flicking across his face. To Patton’s surprise -and delight- Logan didn’t let go.

“I really had a good time.”

A warm feeling spread through Patton’s chest and he rubbed his thumb across the back of Logan’s hand, “Maybe we could do it again?”

“Really?” Surprise wasn’t really something you expected to see on someone like Logan, it made Patton laugh.

“Absolutely.” Patton tilted his head, “To be honest, I’ve been wanting to ask you to dinner for years.”

Logan opened his mouth to reply, but shut it again, deciding on a nod and the smallest, sincerest smile. Patton couldn’t believe they hadn’t done this sooner.

They stood like that for another five minutes. Only breaking away when a shiver racked itself through Patton’s body. Logan insisted they get warm after that, and the two spent the night huddled on Patton’s couch.

It was nice. The nicest thing Patton could remember doing with another person.

Once again surprising him, Logan didn’t hesitate to tell him the same.


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not sure how much I like this chapter, it kind of feels all over the place. I hope you all like it though!
> 
> I don't think there are any warnings, other than sympathetic Deceit and some self depricating words from Virgil. Very minor though.

Logan opened the door, fumbling his keys and kicking off his shoes in a hurry. His hair was disheveled, tie crooked and jacket thrown haphazardly over his arm. Checking his watch, he bit back a groan. Seven twenty. He was late. He’d have to find something fast for breakfast, perhaps a protein smoothie? If Emile was willing to help he could get lunches done in time to drive everyone to school, if anyone was even awake yet. Remy and Virgil would be the hardest to drag out of bed, but that was nothing new-

 

“Sup daddio.”

 

Logan looked up, wrinkling his eyebrows at Remy as he waved tiredly from the kitchen table, looking like he was hungover. Next to him were Emile, Roman and Declan. “You’re up.”

 

“We’re not babies,” Declan pointed out, “We know how to take care of ourselves.”

 

Straightening his tie and clearing his throat, Logan nodded. Perhaps he had overreacted. Stepping into the dining room, he looked around, “Where’s Virgil?”

 

Roman waved a hand towards the kitchen and Logan turned, “Virgil? What did I say about sitting on counters?”

 

Virgil growled from his spot on the corner of the countertop, pulling his hood further over his face, “Too early.”

 

“You get up at this time every weekday.”

 

“That’s barbaric,” Virgil grunted in reply.

 

“Ignore him,” Roman interrupted, wiggling his eyebrows, “You were gone  _ all night. _ ”

 

Logan sighed, “Yes. My apologies.”

 

“What? No- I mean you were with  _ Patton,  _ all night.” 

 

“That is correct.”

 

Remy scoffed, staring at Logan from over the rim of his coffee cup, “It’s too early for this- did you or did you not do the dirty?”

 

Emile choked on his milk, and Declan’s eyes widened. Roman just kept looking at Logan, waiting for an answer.

 

What did he mean by dirty-? Oh.  _ Oh.  _ Logan went beet red, pulling at his tie nervously, he opened his mouth to say something when Virgil spoke up from across the kitchen, “Come on, dad’s a classy sixth date kind of guy.”

 

“Just let him answer the question Sleeping Beauty.”

 

“I thought Remy was Sleeping Beauty?”

 

“Yeah Romance, don’t just go around giving away my nicknames like that.”

 

“Well I am sorry, I was kind of distracted and I wasn’t aware you actually  _ liked  _ that nickname-”

 

“Guys!” Emile held up his hands, and the room went quiet. A rare flash of mischief showed on his face, making him look even more like Remy as he quirked an eyebrow, “You never answered the question dad.”

 

“We sat on his couch with blankets and talked,” Logan admitted, opening the fridge, “Did you all eat?”

 

“Cereal,” Remy replied, “You talked all night?”

 

“Patton slept. Cereal isn’t a very good sustenance.”

 

“We added protein powder to the milk, gross but effective,” Declan cut in, “You didn’t sleep?”

 

“No. Are lunches packed?”

 

Virgil jumped off the counter, gestured to the pile of lunch bags in the middle of the table, and made a face, “So you just watched him sleep?”  

 

“I wasn’t actively watching him, but yes.” Logan opened a cupboard, pulling out three bottles of prescription meds and waving them at his kids. 

 

“We took them,” Virgil and Roman said in unison. 

 

“So are you going to see him again?” Virgil asked, completely innocent. 

 

Logan busied himself washing dishes, thinking through possible outcomes to different decisions. Patton had said he’d had a good time. Logan had as well, if school and his job didn’t get in they way, and of course, his children always came first, then.. “It’s a possibility,” he admitted. 

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Roman and Emile beaming. Virgil and Declan shared the same tiny triumphant smile and Remy had his head down on the table, but he gave Logan a tired thumbs up.

 

Logan’s watch beeped and the boys all stood, grabbing one of the lunch bags and heading to the door. Remy pulled his key off it’s hook, hopping on one foot so he could pull his shoes on. He shook his keys in Emile’s face, who curled back and shook his head, “Dad, I’ve got-”

 

“FCCLA after school. You’ll be home late. I know,” Logan supplied, he raised an eyebrow at Remy, “Will you be staying to drive him home?”

 

“Yeah, I’m off work and there’s a cute kid from yearbook who’s supposed to be there today.” At Logan’s stern look, he sighed, “I will be finishing my homework first. Happy?”

 

“Very. Declan?” 

 

Declan hefted his backpack higher on his shoulder, “Emmett is picking me up, we’re going to circle around animal shelters, make sure they don’t have any wild animals among the domestic. I’ll be back by dinner.”

 

Logan nodded, glad Declan had found a job he enjoyed. He opened the door for them, and Remy gave him a peace sign as he backed out the door after Emile, who called behind him to remind Logan of his club one more time. Pulling Declan with him, Remy blew him a kiss before shutting the door. Logan shook his head, what he was going to do with those boys, he had no idea.

 

“I can’t find my headphones!” Virgil shouted, bounding down the stairs and pulling himself around the banister, “They aren’t in my room, or the kitchen, or the living room, I even checked in Remy’s room because he steals them sometimes-”

 

“Virgil,” Logan interrupted calmly, “We’ll find them. They have to be somewhere.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Virgil nodded, shoving his hands into his sweatshirt pockets. Logan put a hand out, letting Virgil step forward until it rested on his shoulder, “They were in my room last night,” he says quietly, looking up at his dad.

 

“We can look there again first. Sometimes a new set of eyes is helpful.” Logan started walking towards the stairs when a loud yell made him stop.

 

“Virgil!” Roman shouted, Logan’s grip on his shoulder tightened as the kid flinched. Roman’s heavy and fast footsteps sounded above them, running from room to room. They watched as he ran past the stairway, stopped, and backtracked. He huffed as he walked down, “You keep leaving your stuff in my room.”

 

Virgil brightened when he saw the purple headphones in Roman’s hand and he snatched them, “I don’t remember leaving them in there.”

 

“Last night.”

 

“Oh.” Virgil seemed to think about that for a while and then he ducked his head, “Thanks.” Thank god. Logan would admit, the material attachment may not be healthy, but it was one he would never ask Virgil to give up.

 

Logan opened the door again, holding up his watched wrist with raised eyebrows.

 

“Shit!” Virgil hissed, picking up his bag and almost running out the door.

 

Roman followed just as quickly. “Language!” he shouted, beating Logan to it.

 

With another sigh, Logan pulled his own keys off the hook, slipped on his casual shoes and walked out the door.

 

* * *

 

 

_ “How come we’re here?” Virgil asked tentatively, looking guilty for even asking. _

 

_ Logan’s heart broke a little, and he bent to Virgil’s level, smiling softly at the nine year old, “I noticed you have some trouble with loud noises.” _

 

_ “Sorry.” _

 

_ “Don’t apologize.” Logan shook his head, “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I do believe there’s a way to help though.” _

 

_ “At an electronic store?” _

 

_ Logan stood again, walking slowly down the aisle until he found the shelves they came here for. He gestured to them, “Noise cancelling headphones. You can play music with them as well, they work either way.” _

 

_ Virgil looked at the shelf in awe, stepping closer with a light in his eyes. When he got close enough to see the price tag, he froze, “Those are really expensive.” _

 

_ “Price isn’t a problem.” _

 

_ “But I’m not… you shouldn’t spend that much money on me.” _

 

_ Wrinkling his eyebrows, Logan squats in front of him, “Why is that?” _

 

_ “Because!” Virgil shrunk in on himself, “You should spend it on one of the others.. You’ve had them longer. I don’t deserve this.” _

 

_ Now that, that broke Logan’s heart a  _ lot.  _ He let out a steady breath through his nose, “Did I adopt you Virgil?” _

 

_ There was a long, confused pause, “Yes.” _

 

_ “Why would I do that if I didn’t think you deserved everything the others do?” _

 

_ “I don’t… I don’t know,” Virgil admitted. His face scrunched up like he was trying to think of a reason, “Pity?” _

 

_ “No. You deserve just as much as they do, if this is something that will help you, there is nothing that would deter me from doing it for you,” Logan said sternly but soft, “I care about you Virgil.” _

 

_ Looking at his shoes, Virgil nodded, “Okay, I’ll choose one.” _

 

_ “Good.” Straightening, Logan smiled, “What colors do you like?” _

 

_ “Black.” Virgil went to grab the dark one, but his hands stopped halfway there. He picked up a purple one instead, looking at Logan like he was waiting for him to tell Virgil purple was a girl color. _

 

_ “I like purple,” Logan said, feeling warm when Virgil smiled, one of the first smiles Logan had seen on the boy. _

 

* * *

 

 

“Virgil?”

 

Virgil stopped halfway out of the car, shrugging at Roman who was waiting on the sidewalk. Logan turned to look at him, “You’ll be alright?”

 

Still looking confused, Virgil smiled, “Always, dad.”

 

That was a lie. He wasn’t always okay, more often than not, he wasn’t okay. Virgil seemed to sense the concern on his face, “I swear, I’m okay.”

 

Logan nodded, “Good.”

 

“Hey Dad!” Virgil called before Logan roll up the window and drive away. 

 

“Yes?”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Logan didn’t understand why he wouldn’t be, but Virgil worried, and he picked up on more than people gave him credit for. Adjusting his glasses and attempting an encouraging smile, he nodded again, “I am.”

 

“Good.”

 

“Why aren’t you guys worried about me?” Roman asked dramatically with a hand over his chest, only half joking.

 

“Because,” Logan started, already rolling up the window, “you’re royalty.”

 

He could see Roman’s cheeks turn red and a small smile form on his face from the rearview mirror as he drove away. His eyes flicking from the road back to them as the two disappeared inside the school, shoving each other lightly and laughing.

 

Thirty seconds later, his phone rang. He knew who it was by the ring tone, it jingled a soft tune, intended to be meditative. Logan answered in a hurry, “Virgil? Are you alright?”

 

_ “Yeah dad, chill. I just forgot to tell you something.” _

 

“What’s that?” Logan slumped slightly, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. 

 

On the other end, Virgil laughed,  _ “Call him.”  _ And then he hung up. 

 

Logan held back from rolling his eyes, focusing on the road as he set his phone down. He knew who  _ he  _ was. The fact that Virgil wanted him to call him did nothing for his apprehension. His phone rang again and Logan jumped at the unset ringtone. At least that meant it wasn’t one of the boys. 

 

“Hello?”

 

_ “Hi! Is this Logan? This is Patton, from last night.” _

 

Logan swallowed, he had almost forgotten he’d given Patton his number, “This is Logan. Hello Patton.”

 

_ “Hello yourself! Sorry for the out of the blue call, just thought I’d thank you again for dinner and everything.” _

 

Everything. As in, staying at his house overnight, basically laying on top of each other trying to get warm. That everything. “It was my pleasure.” He can almost hear Patton go red over the phone. 

 

_ “So… Yeah! I hope I see you at the shop soon.”  _ He sounded buffered, almost disappointed. 

 

Logan rushed to say something else, “Actually Patton, I was wondering if you’d like to have lunch.” What? They’d seen each other that morning! Surely Patton was sick of him, he should take it back-

 

_ “I’d love that!”  _

 

Well then.  _ Well then.  _ Logan could hear Remy’s voice in the back of his head,  _ lit.  _ He smiled into the phone, “Wonderful. Should I pick you up?”

 

_ “There’s a great sandwich place across the street, Maeve’s, why don’t I meet you there?”  _ Patton paused, then hurriedly added,  _ “If it’s not too much trouble.” _

 

“No,” Logan reassured him, “No trouble at all.” He pulled up to his house and stepped out of the car, locking it behind him and making his way to the house, “One o’clock?”

 

_ “Perfect. I’ll see you then!”  _ God, he sounded so happy. It made Logan feel something he hadn’t in a very long time. 

 

“It’s a date.” They’d hung up before Logan could think through his word choice, and he sat down on the couch heavily. He was very, very happy none of his sons had stayed home to tease him about how red his face was. 

 

* * *

 

 

Patton was going to cry. He had a mother-loving date! With Logan! Correction, he wasn’t going to cry. He was going to scream. Loudly. 

 

“Hiya Mr. M!” 

 

Patton looked up from the receipt book to smile at the teenager walking through the door, “Olivia! Hey! I told you to call me Patton.”

 

"I like Mr. M. More professional." Olivia giggled, turning behind her to pull a large trolley through the door, stacked with cooled boxes. Patton rushes around the counter to hold the door for her. She looked him up and down, squinting, “You have a date.”

 

“What!” Patton pushed his free hand against his cheek, wondering if it was still red, “How did you know?”

 

“I have my ways.” Olivia stood the trolley up in the corner of the room and brushed off her hands on her pants, “You haven’t had a date in a while, who’s the lucky person?”

 

Sheepishly, Patton looked at the floor, “Logan.”

 

“Logan!? You mean you got a  _ date _ with high class, walks into your shop and makes your eyes light up, talks about bees a lot, makes you want to swoon, Logan?”

 

“Do I really talk about him that much?”

 

“Mr. Moore,” Olivia said, not unkindly, “I feel like I know the guy.”

 

Shaking his head fondly, Patton stepped away from the door, “Well, I had dinner with him last night-“

 

“You already had dinner?”

 

“-and he stayed over-“

 

“Oh. My. God.”

 

“Olivia!” Patton said with a laugh and a red face, waving his hands, “Nothing happened.”

 

“Tell me everything,” Olivia pleaded, grabbing one of his hands in her own. 

 

Eyes twinkling, Patton shook his head, “I promise I will kiddo, but I have to meet him in ten minutes.” He leaned forward to peck her on the cheek, “Watch the shop for me?”

 

“Always happy to sir.” Olivia followed him out the door, “Hey, Mr. Moore?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Have a good time.”

 

Patton smiled and waved, turning to walk down the street to the light. He would definitely, positively, have a wonderful time. 

 

* * *

 

Walking into the cafe, Patton lit up when he saw Logan already sitting at a table, a glass of water in front of him. He walked up slowly, “Is this seat taken?” He teased. 

 

Logan blinked up at him, “No, why would I let someone take your seat?”

 

Patton just giggled and sat down. Lacing his fingers together and putting his elbows on the table, he rested his head in his hands, “Thanks for asking me to come.”

 

“Of course, in all honesty..” Logan paused, looking a little embarrassed, “I wasn’t sure you’d agree.”

 

Why would he think that? Logan did realize he basically admitted his feelings to him the night before right? “Well, it was about time we started seeing each other outside of the shop.”

 

“Indeed.” Logan looked as nervous as Patton felt, it was an odd comfort, considering he’d only ever seen Logan acting stoic and calm. 

 

“Are the boys at school?”

 

“They are. I almost didn’t get them there on time.” His eyes widened, “By no fault of yours, of course.”

 

“They seem like great kids.”

 

“Your assumptions are correct.” The soft smile on Logan’s face made Patton want to jump through a wall. 

 

A waitress made her way over to them, smiling kindly, “What can I get for you gentlemen?”

 

“Can I get the club sandwich?” Patton asked lightly, not having to look at his menu to know what he wanted. 

 

Unsurprisingly, Logan had his order ready as well. He’d probably gone over the menu before Patton had arrived, “I’d like the Rubin please.”

 

Scribbling down the orders, the waitress smiled, “Of course! Anything other than water to drink?”

 

Logan shook his head and Patton returned her bright smile, “No thanks kiddo.”

 

After watching the waitress leave, Logan raised an eyebrow at Patton, “Kiddo? She doesn’t look like a child.”

 

“That’s just what I call almost everyone.” Patton shrugged, “Nicknames give me a way to relate to people, form a fast bond.”

 

“Helpful in customer service,” Logan said with a nod. “Smart.”

 

Patton felt his chest swell. 

 

The waitress was back in record time, Patton’s second favorite thing about the place. His first was the food. 

 

“Let me know if you need anything else!” She said happily, obviously relieved to get a break from the usual rude lunch patrons. 

 

Logan opened his mouth to reply when his phone rang, sounding like a flute and a bubbling brook. His eyebrows creased in worry and Patton smiled at the waitress, “Thank you.”

 

As the waitress left, Logan answered his phone, the worry on his face evident in his voice, “Virgil-“ he swallowed, “Roman, slow down. Why do you have Virgil’s phone?” His eyes widened, looking at Patton in panic. Patton’s throat tightened as Logan went to stand, “I will be there in a few minutes.”

 

“Is everything alright?”

 

Logan shook his head, “I have to go to the school, apologies for cutting this short-“ he tripped on his chair, drawing several stares from other patrons. 

 

Patton moved next to him, dropping a fifty dollar bill on the table and wishing he could apologize to the lovely young woman. The large tip would have to do, “You don’t look like you should be driving. Why don’t you let me take you.”

 

“I can’t ask you to do that Patton,” Logan argued weakly. 

 

Smiling, Patton shook his head. He’d already made up his mind, “You don’t have to.”

  
  
  



	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: physical bullying, emotional bullying, mild body shaming, arguing, crying, I'm not sure- Virgil getting hurt? Let me know if I need to add anything else :)
> 
> ALso! Sorry this is so late!! I have been in a major writers block, but I managed to write one more chapter after this so hopefully updates will be regular now. Enjoy!

Logan didn’t know if he believed in parents intuition. Of course, he knew more about his children’s moods and personalities than most anyone, but that didn’t mean he could tell if something would happen.

Except he did.

He knew the second Virgil had lost his headphones that the day would be one of the bad ones. Then Roman had called him on Virgil’s phone, hyperventilating and only able to get out his brothers name clearly. 

They pulled up to the school and Logan turned to thank Patton, ask if he could pay to taxi him home. Before he could, Patton was out of the car, Logan followed him, waiting for him to say something. Patton didn’t, but he made no move to let Logan go in alone either.

For that, Logan was grateful.

By the time they’d made it to the principal’s office, Logan felt like he was going to pass out. He knew how cruel kids could be.

“Dad!” Roman barreled into him, wrapping his arms around Logan’s torso. 

Pulling one arm around Roman’s shoulders, and the other against the back of his head. He looked around the office, throat tightening when he didn’t see Virgil.

The principal stepped into the room, followed by a man and a woman Logan recognized from the PTA meetings. Mrs. Juniper and what must be her husband. Behind them was a burly boy with a mean expression and a swelling black eye. Roman’s grip around him tightened.

“Mr. Sanders, thank you for coming on short notice,” The principal started, looking nervous.

“Mrs. and Mr. Juniper,” Logan greeted with a nod, trying to keep the bite out of his voice. By the way Patton stepped closer to him, he figured he’d failed. 

“Principal Thorne, can you please explain to Sanders just what happened,” Mrs. Juniper demanded with a glare.

Thorne pulled at his collar, “Well I’ve heard three different stories, so I’m not sure which one to believe-” He was cut off by Mr. Juniper’s intake of breath. Thorne swallowed, “Maybe you should hear them for yourself.”

Immediately going to ask Roman what had happened, Logan pulled back a little, a new flash of anger hitting him when he saw the tear streaks on his son’s face.

Unfortunately, the Juniper’s beat him to it. Their son cleared his throat, “Well..”

“Speak up Rodney,” Mr. Juniper ordered. Next to him, Patton stiffened.

“What happened sir, was Roman kept on being annoying. Yelling in my face, jumping around. I asked him to leave and he shoved me!” His story sounded so fake, so rehearsed and beat into him, Logan almost felt bad. Until he kept talking. “I tried to walk away and him and his stupid little brother cornered me!”

“He’s not stupid!” Roman insisted, wiping at his face.

“If you could keep your son in line Sanders, that would be great.”

Logan almost snarled at her, “Unlike you Hannah, I don’t bully my son into being scared to say what he means.”

“Well look at you, parent of the goddamn year.”

“Please!” Thorne cut in, “Can we be civil?”

All three parents scoffed, and Logan was pretty sure he heard Patton mumble something under his breath.

Rodney waited until his father nodded to him to keep going, “He punched me! I was acting out of self defense!”

Self defense? What did he do? Where the hell was Virgil? 

Thorne sat down with a huff and waved a hand at Roman. Still half hugging him, Logan squeezed him across the shoulders and Roman took a deep breath, “Rodney called me fat-”

That broke out a whole other round of arguing. Rodney insisted he didn’t, along with his parents, all Logan wanted to do was see Virgil and take his sons home.

“So what if he called you fat!” Hannah shouted suddenly, “Would he really be wrong?”

That time, Logan did snarl, “You watch your mouth.”

Patton, seemingly the only one who wasn’t seething with anger, smiled at Roman encouragingly. Roman sniffed and nodded, “I was trying to leave, but he kept saying those things to me, and I tried to call you but he broke my phone, and then Virgil caught up and-” Roman glares at Rodney, “-he told him off! Rodney tried to hit him, but Virgil was faster, and then- and then-”

Logan pulls him back into a hug, glaring at the principal, “Where is my son,” he demanded, tone ice cold.

“I’m right here dad.” Virgil said, making them all turn to look at him. He was followed by the school nurse, holding an ice pack to the side of his face. He had a wad of toilet paper up his nose, and his chin was scraped. 

Logan saw red. He glared at Thorne, “I am going to leave now,” he said in a low voice, the principal shrunk down in his chair, “Is that a problem?”

Thorne cleared his throat, “It’s obvious to me who’s story to believe. You’re free to go Mr. Sanders.”

Logan didn’t wait to hear the Juniper’s angry replies.

On the drive back, nobody spoke for a long time. 

Patton insisted on driving again, so Logan sat in the back next to Virgil, using the first aid kit he kept in the car to clean off his chin. He didn’t miss Roman’s worried looks, the ones he used to give Logan when he was first adopted. Scared, on edge, waiting for the worst.

It was a good thing Patton was driving, Logan would have turned around and driven back to punch Rodney’s parents square in the jaw by now.

“Dad?” Virgil asked weakly, staring at the ground.

“Yes Virgil?”

“He broke my headphones.”

Logan’s jaw clenched and unclenched. Of course he did. “We’ll buy you a new pair.”

“Okay.”

It wasn’t enough. Logan watched as Virgil leaned over to look out the window. Of course it wasn’t enough. He knew what those headphones meant to him, to both of them.

Roman disappeared the second they got inside. Logan pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a slow breath. He’d have to talk to him later.

“I’m sorry I got in a fight, dad,” Virgil said softly, looking up at him with wet eyes. Logan didn’t think he’d ever actually seen him cry. He internalized things like that.

He supposed they had that in common.

“Don’t be. Rodney and his parents are at fault here, not you.”

“Or Roman?” 

“Or Roman.”

Virgil nodded and started towards the stairs, “I’m going to take a nap.”

Logan let him go, watching with an expression mixed between anger, heartbreak and guilt.

“You handled that well.” Patton. Logan had almost forgotten. The man smiled softly, “I don’t think I would’ve been able to hold back.”

“I didn’t want to.”

“You’re a good dad Logan.”

It was an odd thing to hear out loud. Sure, his kids complimented him enough (mostly when they wanted something) but to have it come from an outside source was different. To have it come from Patton was different. “Thank you.”

Patton shifted a few times, rubbing the back of his neck, “I should probably go, leave you to do that.”

“Oh, oh! Patton I’m sorry, you were only meant to be gone for lunch. The shop-”

“Will be fine,” Patton cut in, shaking his head, “I own the place, what’s it going to do, fire me?”

Surprising himself, Logan laughed at the lame joke, “I still made you miss lunch.”

“You could make it up to me.”

Logan nodded,  “Let me pay for your cab.”

“Daw, I’m sorry.” Patton was already halfway out the door, waving his phone, “I called a Lyft, online payment only. You’ll have to settle for another date.” 

That was surprising. Logan’s eyes widened a little and he pulled at his tie, “You’d still like to go out with me?”

“Of course silly! How about a picnic?”

“That sounds nice. I don’t have any classes on Thursday.”

Patton smiled as he slipped out the door, “Thursday it is.”

He left before Logan had time to clarify a time and place. Which meant he’d have to call him. Logan shook his head, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. After Patton left, he wandered around the house, picking up small messes and grumbling when he found one of Declan’s work outfits thrown on the floor.

Even cleaning got restless in a short time. 

Making a decision, Logan walked up the stairs and knocked on Virgil’s door. He doubted that he’d actually fallen asleep.

When Virgil opened the door, his phone in hand, Logan knew he was right. “What’s up?”

“Would it be alright if we talked?”

Tiredly, Virgil nodded. He reached up to rub his eye and stopped, wincing. The anger was back, but Logan suppressed it. He followed Virgil into his room, sitting with him on his bed. “Is Roman okay?”

Logan sighed. He hadn’t seen Roman, assuming he’d gone to his usual spot where Logan couldn’t get to. Virgil seemed to understand, “I’m worried about him.”

“As am I.” Logan tilted his head, “What about you? Are you alright?”

“My face hurts, but yeah. I’m just mad.”

“Because of Rodney?”

“Why do they have to pick on him dad?” Seeming to realize he was getting pretty mushy, Virgil backtracks, “Only I get to do that.”

Logan was one hundred percent sure Virgil didn’t need him to tell him about the mean people in the world who preyed on people’s insecurities. Virgil had a life before he was a Sanders. He knew how cruel people could be. So Logan just brushed Virgil’s hair back from his forehead gently, tilted his head to look at the bruise one more time and then stood, “Because people don’t understand him.”

Virgil nodded, laying back on his bed, “I know.”

****

Remy burst through the door, making Logan jump and set his book down on the couch next to him, “I’m here,” he announced breathlessly, sweat running down his forehead.

Slowly looking him up and down, Logan turned to put his arm around the back of the couch where he sat, “Remy? …Did you run here?”

“I had to-” Remy gasped for air, waving a hand at the door, “-so Emile could get home.”

Despite how Remy acted, he was always the first to offer help. It made Logan’s chest swell with pride. “Why are you here?”

“I heard about what happened.”

“Virgil called you.”

“First prize to the tall snack in the blue tie.” Remy leaned back, huffing at the ceiling, “Okay. I’m good. Where’s our little Romantic Drama?”

Logan shook his head, he’d never get used to the nicknames they were all insistent on giving each other. He closed his book, it wasn’t like he’d actually been focused on the words. Standing and moving into the kitchen he poured a glass of water and passed it to Remy, who chugged it with a breathless thank you. “Where he always goes.”

“Damn.” Remy set down the glass and shook his head, “One of these days that thing’s going to fall over and kill us.” he paused and pointed a finger, “Don’t tell Virgil I said that.”

Pouring him another glass and taking it from him after he drank that one too, Logan pushed him towards the door back door gently, “See if you can get him to open up. He won’t talk to me lately.”

Remy, the considerate, kind, empathetic person that he was, rolled his eyes at Logan’s dejected tone, “How many times did I open up to you when I was fifteen?”

“I don’t think you spoke more than three words to me that whole year,” Logan teased.

“That’s the spirit! It’ll be chill dad, don’t worry.” He opened the back door and made his way across the lawn. 

Logan sighed as he left, “Easier said than done.”

Stopping in front of the large cherry tree, Remy huffed as he looked up. Roman had been going up to the ramshackle treehouse when he was upset since Emile and Declan had built it three summers ago. It didn’t make it easier to climb. Remy grunted as he pulled himself up to the lowest branch, grabbing hold of the knotted rope waiting for him and swinging up to the small platform. Why they had made it so hard to get to, he’d never know. He’d also never stop whining to them about it.

Picking up the rainbow painted stick off its special ledge, Remy smacked it against the bell hanging in front of his face, “Ding dong bitch,” he muttered.

“Language,” Roman said back, and Remy smiled.

“Good to know you’re alive up there.”

There was a long pause, then a sniff. “Leave me, Remy.”

“What? No nickname?”

“I am not in the mood.”

“If you don’t hand me the step ladder, I’m just going to take my chances and try and jump all the way up there.”

“You broke your arm last time you tried that.”

Remy snorted, “That was one time. Okay, on three-” He got to two before a three foot step ladder got handed down to him. Making sure it was as steady as possible on the thin plywood landing, Remy climbed up it, rolling into the treehouse and laying on his back, “I hate this treehouse.”

“Then why did you come?” Roman asked sadly from where he sat, curled into a ball in a shadowy corner, out of reach from the strings of fairy lights.

“Because,” Remy sat up, twisting to pop his back, “I don’t hate you.”

Roman shook his head, and Remy got the feeling he didn’t believe him. Quirking an eyebrow, he gestured around him, “So, what’s a ten like you doing in a three like this?”

That made Roman giggle a little. “I’m not a ten.”

“You’re right.” Remy scooted back next to Roman, “You’re an eleven.”

“Shouldn’t you be with Virgil?” Roman asked, trying a different approach.

“Virgil’s fine. He’s got plenty people looking out for him, and he knows that.”

“He’s not fine! He’s the one who got beat up for me!”

So that’s what this was. “You think it’s your fault.”

“I know it is my fault.”

For once, Remy didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t the touchy feely guy. That was Emile. He was the fun, no care attitude, lives off coffee kind of guy. Roman didn’t need that guy right now. Thinking of what Emile told him, about putting himself in other people’s shoes, Remy shrugged, “I used to get beat up a lot for Emile.”

“You did?”

“Yeah!” Remy pushed his shoulder a little, “Not once did I think it was his fault. It was just me, looking out for my brother.” 

Roman looked at him for a long time, and then sighed, “But Virgil is my younger brother. I should be looking out for him, as a big brother does.”

“You know what I think Romano?” Remy poked Roman’s cheek, “I think you have this idea in your head that you always have to be the protector, left over from when you used to pretend you were a prince.”

“So what?” 

“I’m not saying being a prince was bad! It was pretty lit honestly. You just have some weird ways to hold onto it.”

Roman glared at him, and there was hurt in his eyes that went a lot deeper than guilt for Virgil. It worried Remy, but he stayed quiet, letting Roman talk, “Don’t you think I should be doing more than getting bullied and watching Virgil get hurt? Don’t you think I should be something more than what I am?”

“I think you’re gucci just the way you are dude.”

That time, Roman didn’t laugh at his choice of words, “I am not weak.”

“No one said you were.”

“Then why do I feel like I am failing at everything I try to accomplish or overcome?”

Remy sat still for a long time, then he reached up and pulled his sunglasses off, putting them on Roman carefully, “Even the prince needs some help sometimes,” he said softly.

Deflating and leaning against Remy’s side, Roman started to cry. Remy kept his eyes on the fairy lights, knowing how much Roman hated for people to watch him cry. He wrapped his arm around his brother’s shoulders though.

After a few minutes of the quiet tears, Roman spoke up again. Voice watery but hopeful, “You think I’m gucci?”

“The gucciest.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Yes it does. You’re wearing the sunglasses, let them guide you.”

“You’re insane.”

“I know…. Can we get off this death box now?”

“In a minute.” For once, Remy didn’t argue.

The first thing Roman did when Remy finally managed to convince him to go inside was apologize to Logan.

Logan hugged him before he got the words out, “Tell me next time, if people are bullying you?”

“As you wish,” Roman said after a long pause. Then he handed Remy back his sunglasses, bowed and winked at the both of them, and bounded up the stairs to see Virgil, his usual energetic behavior slowly returning.

“You think he’s telling the truth?” Remy asked, laying across the kitchen table with a cup of iced coffee Logan had no idea where, when or how he got.

“I don’t know.” Logan sighed, “It’s something at the very least.”

“The dude’s tough.”

“He’s still a kid.”

Remy pointed at him, “You right.” he paused for a few seconds, “He still hasn’t opened up to you about the before time, has he?”

“No. All in due time. It took you and Emile almost six years to tell me everything.”

“Yeah, that was my fault. Emile was always a blabber mouth.”

“You were trying to protect the both of you, there isn’t any fault in that.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, only broken by Remy slurping his drink loudly. Then he sat up and made a childish pouting face at Logan, “So.. do I get a hug?”

“Get off the table,” Logan replied, leaving the kitchen before he could laugh.

“Dad wait!” Remy called after him, cackling and swinging his legs, “I thought you loved me!”


	4. Four

Logan stood from his desk, having finished with his online lectures, he had the full day ahead of him. It was ideal, the work he did. Only going in for live lectures once a week and on occasion when he was invited by another professor or university. 

It gave him time to spend with his children, the ability to be home everyday when they walked through the door after school. 

Key word being after school. 

Which was why the second the front door opened and his three oldest walked through, Logan knew something was wrong. 

“Bitch please,” Remy was saying, an iced coffee in his hand, “if I wanted him to know, he’d know.”

“You could’ve gotten in trouble Rem! Or hurt!” Emile shot back, a worried and horrified look on his face. 

Declan, upon seeing Logan, froze in the walkway. “Guys.”

“But I didn’t get hurt, or in trouble, and gurl, it was hilarious.”

“It wasn’t very nice either.”

“Guys!” Declan nodded towards Logan, who was standing by the couch with his arms folded. 

Remy waved like nothing happened, Emile looked like he was going to pass out. 

“What are you doing home?”

Immediately, Remy spoke up, “Somebody set the chemistry lab on fire.”

“By accident,” Emile added. 

“With no regrets,” Declan pointed out. 

Logan looked between the three, his eyebrow raising. “Somebody?”

“It was Remy.”

“Dude!”

“He was going to find out somehow, don’t get mad at Declan.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Logan sighed. He was not all that surprised, things like this had happened to them before. “They evacuated the entire school?”

“No,” Emile started slowly, looking between his brothers, “but they may have guessed it was one of us-“

“They couldn’t prove it though!”

“So they just sent us home,” Declan finished with a dejected sigh. 

Remy walked over to vault over the couch and lay on his back, moaning dramatically, “Do you know how tired I am?” He sat up a little, lowering his sunglasses to look over them at his dad, “So. Tired.”

Logan just glared. 

Ever the peacemaker, Emile waved his hands frantically, “It’s okay though! Nothing was damaged!”

“Except Mr. Burr’s toupée,” Declan muttered with a smirk. 

“I expect you to own up to your actions tomorrow.”

“Dad!”

“Remy.”

The two stared at each other for a good forty seconds, then Remy flopped onto his back again, “Fine.”

“You know what this means?” Emile exclaimed with his hands on his hips, once again attempting to defuse the situation. “We get a day of fun, just the four of us!”

“I don’t think what you all deserve is a relaxed day.”

Emile deflated, looking at the ground, “It’s been so long since we’ve done anything fun together.”

Remy had sat up again, leaning over the back of the couch to watch Emile sympathetically. Even Declan looked a little put out, and he had never been much for family gatherings. 

Logan had been busy lately. Between work and the extra time he had to spend with Roman and Virgil due to them being younger, the others had been almost entirely left to their own devices. 

It was possible that an apology was in order. 

Moving to lift Remy’s feet and sit where they had been, Logan adjusts his glasses, “What is it that you’d like to do?”

“Seriously?” Remy shifted so his legs were hanging over the back of the couch. “You actually want to do something with us?”

The complete disbelief in his voice made Logan’s chest tighten. He nodded, “It’s come to my attention that I haven’t been as involved as I’d like to be.”

Emile smiled warmly. He walked around the couch to sit on the coffee table, “We could binge Steven Universe!”

“How many times have you made us watch that now?” Declan said with an eye roll, leaning against the wall. 

“Yeah babe, I’m sick of the theme song five times over.“

“Come on, you know you love it.”

There was a pause, then Declan shrugged, “Peridot’s okay I guess.”

“So is Amethyst, sometimes,” Remy grumbled, unable to stay stubborn when his twin was looking at him with such an open and hoping expression. 

Logan raised his eyebrows, “You have all day, free to do whatever you’d like, and you choose to sit in front of a TV for hours on end?”

“He has a point.” Declan pushed himself off the wall to stand next to where Emile sat. 

“Your face has a point.”

“I thought you didn’t want to watch it either!”

“I just like making you mad.”

Raising a hand to stop Remy and Declan, who immediately quieted, Emile wiggled his eyebrows, “Are you sure you’re free today, dad?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know, I thought you might have plans with a certain flowery someone.”

Remy whistled sharply, Logan shook his head, “Not until Thursday, though I am debating on cancelling.”

Surprisingly, it was Declan who spoke first, “What? Why?”

“With what happened to Roman and Virgil, perhaps now isn’t an ideal time.”

“If that were the case,” Emile reasoned, “then why did you agree to go in the first place?”

Logan hated that he could feel his cheeks growing hot. “It is possible I was in shock after the ordeal.”

“I didn’t know you were a liar, dad.”

“Yeah,” Remy pitched in, “that’s Declan’s thing.”

Declan groaned, “Dude. It was one time.”

“You told me you were from Antarctica!”

“You believed me!”

Emile raised his eyebrows, “You’re seriously having this argument again?”

Remy ignored him, glaring at Declan, “That was like the first week I met you! Imagine the first impression it gave me!”

“What about my first impression of you?”

“Are you two done?” Emile asked tiredly.

“I thought you were evil,” Remy spat.

“I thought you were stupid.”

“I still think you’re evil!”

“I still think you’re stupid!”

Remy sat back in his chair and grinned sideways at Emile, “Now we’re done.” Emile shook his head. 

Blinking a few times, Logan began to wonder what had happened to make them all turn out like this. He cared about them, he did. But Logan was not a teasing person, it begged the question, where did they get it from?

“Dad.” Logan looked up to see an unusually serious Emile looking back at him, “Is it because of Papa?”

Logan sighed, the feeling in his chest growing more and more prominent as memories flashed through his mind, “I suppose... what I am feeling could be related to him, yes.”

The room fell silent. Then Remy rolled off the couch and stood, leaving the room without a word. 

Declan watched him go with furrowed eyebrows, opened his mouth like he was going to say something and then shut it, turning to look at the floor. 

Standing slowly, Emile looked incredibly guilty. Logan wanted nothing more than to tell him it was alright, but his jaw was refusing to cooperate. 

Before anyone had worked up the stability to say something, Remy was back, carrying a book with him. He put it down on Logan’s lap and glared at him, “Go on the date.”

The book was worn, well read. It’s cover was torn at the spine, a water stain on the edges of the pages. Logan brushed a hand across the title gingerly, blinking when his eyes began to sting. He nodded, “I suppose I will... go on the date.”

“Cool beans, padre.” Remy slurped louder than he needed to on his coffee, all sadness and sympathy erased off his face. He looked at Declan mischievously, “Do you remember when you were in eighth grade, the trip to the mall?”

Both Declan and Emile groaned. 

“Is there something I’m missing?”

Emile sighed, giving Declan an apologetic look, “Declan got asked out on his first date-“

“And I made the horrible decision to ask my older brothers for help,” Declan interrupted bitterly. “They made me go to the mall and have a fake date, buy a new outfit, everything. It was horrible.”

Remy laughed, “It was awesome.”

“It was kind of fun,” Emile said weakly. 

Logan nodded along, confused, “How does this apply to me?”

“Because! It’s been what, forty years since you’ve been on a date?”

“I wasn’t alive forty years ago.”

“That’s my point babe.” Remy shook his empty cup, the sound of the ice hitting against each other filling the room. “What you need is a refresher, a test run before the real thing.”

“I think I did an adequate job at dinner.”

“That’s because you had us.”

Emile looked up at Declan sharply as he spoke, “You’re on board with this?”

Declan shrugged, “It could be fun.”

Reaching across for a fist bump that Declan high fived, Remy grinned, “I knew you weren’t actually as boring as you seem.”

“Thanks?”

Hold on,” Logan said quickly, raising a hand. “What if this is not something I’d like to do?”

Declan moved behind him to push on his shoulders until he was forced to stand. He patted his back once, “Too bad.”

“Well if dad doesn’t want to, we could always-“

“We’re not binging Steven Universe Emile!” Remy cut him off with a groan. “Get over it and let’s go,” he whined. 

Emile stuck his tongue out briefly and then nodded, standing as well, “To the mall it is.”

Remy pumped a fist and booked it for the door, “Alright! The Gorge Gang is back in business!”

“Please stop calling us that.”

“To the Legit Snack Mobile!” Remy continued, ignoring Declan’s protests. 

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Aw, there’s no harm in having some fun!”

“Exactly, and it would be very fun for me to kill him.”

Logan huffed out a quiet chuckle, “I’ll meet you at the car.”

Eyes flicking to the book still in Logan’s hand, Emile nodded once, sending him an encouraging smile before pushing Declan out the door. 

The stairs seemed extra steep suddenly, and a weight settled on Logan’s chest as he climbed up them. He paused halfway, smiling to the side of him at one of the many family pictures, this one taken a year before they adopted Roman. 

Declan looked bitter as he always did in those first years (and sometimes even still), but there was a glint in his eye that betrayed how happy he was. Emile was grinning broadly, holding his papas hand tightly. Remy has his arm slung around Emile’s shoulder, his signature sunglasses pushed up onto his head. 

The worry lines on Logan’s forehead weren’t as prominent then, his hand clasped with his husbands. 

Those were years he looked back on very fondly, but a sense of hopelessness came with it as well. 

Logan continued up the stairs and into his office, pushing the book back into its designated spot. He ran his index finger along the worn spine. 

“And thus it will go on,” Logan quoted quietly, “so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless.” he laughed quietly, his chest swelling. It was entirely possible that the heartless bit was wrong.

Declan yelped from outside, shouting something about coffee soaked ice down his shirt, followed by Remy’s cackle and Emile’s protesting.

“Nevermind,” Logan muttered.

****

Letting his three oldest drag Logan to the mall had turned out to be a very, very bad mistake.

First off, Remy made him buy everyone Starbucks. Claiming it was a ‘family tradition’ even though they’d never done it before. He also insisted on everyone buying the weirdest drinks possible, leaving Logan with a barely edible iced mocha with sprinkles in it for some reason.

Then Emile dragged them into the Disney store, where they stayed for a good hour. Emile did find a very nice Prince Philip plushie to add to Roman’s collection, so Logan supposed it wasn’t an entire waste of time.

At that point, Declan had taken the lead, weaving through the midday shoppers until they stood in front of Hot Topic.

“Oh my god no.”

Emile looked at Remy, a blank expression on his face, “You like this store.”

“Yeah! I do!” Remy pointed at Declan with an exasperated look, “Why does he?”

Declan shrugged, shuffling backwards into the store, “Virgil made me come with him a few times, it grew on me.”

“See! I told you Virgil and Declan are close!”

Remy made a face, swishing his coffee in it’s cup, “When did I ever say they weren’t?”

Carrying all the bags and receiving a lot of weirded out looks from other shoppers, Logan scrunched up his nose to try and push his glasses back into place without any free hands, “I don’t see how any of this goes with the theme of ‘training’ me.”

The three brothers looked between each other for a long time, then Declan spoke up, “You have to learn to spoil people dad.”

“Exactly. It’s very important in a healthy relationship.”

“Like Sokka and how he’s always giving stuff to Suki!”

“I would like to state for the record that I know all of you are lying.” Logan stepped into the store, looking around with a slight distaste at the cramped interior. “Make sure to find something for Virgil.”

Emile and Declan high fived, walking off quickly before Logan could change his mind. Remy watched them go, then slowly picked up a small Pikachu plushie, lifting it up to Logan’s face with wide eyes under his glasses, “Pika pika?”

Logan scoffed and followed the other two, smiling at Remy’s laughs behind him.

They ended up buying the plushie after Remy threatened to beg on his knees in the middle of the store. They got a pair of Jack Skellington headphones for Virgil as well, something Emile had spent almost half an hour deciding on.

Declan got a hoodie with a large yellow Illuminati sign on the back, sticking his tongue out when both Remy and Logan voiced their distaste. 

It wasn’t until they had sat down at the loud foodcourt that Logan realized something, “Emile, you never got anything.”

Emile looked up from trying to get the tag off Declan’s jacket with a smile, “That’s okay! I got a day with all of you guys!”

“Em, that is grossly cute. Stop it right now.”

Declan laughed at Remy’s reply, his mood had been steadily going from irritated and tired to almost enjoying himself the entire day, “Dad’s right though, we could always circle back to the Disney store or like… Build-a-Bear?”

“Hey, I think we’re forgetting who we really came here for,” Emile pointed out, turning back to the jacket.

The attempt at changing the subject worked, and two sets of mischievous eyes turned on Logan, who sighed.

Their number was called, and Logan stood immediately to go get it. Remy applauded after him, “What a gentleman! You’re date would be impressed!”

Logan gave the amused server an apologetic smile as he took the tray from her. She nodded towards the group, “Your brothers?”

“Sons, actually.”

The server laughed, “They seem like a good bunch. Enjoy your meal!”

Logan nodded once and walked back to the table, setting down the tray and taking his own food. Declan’s hand over the to go box stopped him from opening it, “Forgetting something?”

“Rarely.”

“You forgot to serve us,” Emile said offhand, holding up the jacket to check it over before passing it back to Declan.

“Manners father, manners,” Remy chided, folding his arms expectantly, “Always take the route of most work, so you’re date doesn’t have to.”

Logan shook his head but did what he was told, passing out the different boxes. Noodles for Declan, vegan stir fry for Emile, and broccoli and steak for Remy. He handed them utensils next, then raised his eyebrows, “Anything else I can get for you since you seem incapable of using your hands?”

Remy snorted, Declan gasped, half standing from his chair, “Is that any way to speak to your date? I have half a mind to walk out of here right now.”

“This is highly illogical, I wouldn’t ever say that to Patton, but Patton is not here-”

“Just play along,” Emile interrupted with a smile. “It’s easier.”

Logan let out an even breath through his nose, “My apologies.”

Sitting back down, Declan smirked at Remy, seeming to pass the torch. Remy leaned forward, “Are you a top or a bottom?”

Emile choked on his drink, “Remy! There are kids here!”

“Fine.” Remy sat back again, biting his lip as he thought. Then he grinned, “Who do you like better, Madonna or Beyonce?”

A very confused look flashed over Logan’s face, and he glanced at the other two before clearing his throat, “..Beyonce?”

“That’s it boys, he’s a keeper!”

After swallowing the food in his mouth, Emile turned a steady gaze on Logan, “What is Patton’s favorite flower?”

“Anthurium,” Logan answered without hesitation.

Emile smiled, “You’ve passed on my count.”

“So that leaves Declan.” Something in the way Remy said it made Logan uneasy. 

The way Declan looked at him didn’t help. He laced his fingers together and settled them on his lap, watching Logan for an uncomfortable amount of time before he spoke. “When did you know?”

Emile and Remy both looked confused. The latter raising his hand to question when Logan beat him to it, “Two years ago, he told me about how he grows most of the common flowers himself as to be more eco friendly. His face lit up as he talked about it. That was when I knew.”

Declan nodded, content, “Looks like you pass.”

“That’s it?”

“You still have to buy us ice cream.”

“Of course, I’m assuming that is something about treating my date as well?”

Remy made a face, “No, we just want ice cream.”

On the way home, Remy managed to fall asleep, snoring loudly in the back. Declan was in the middle row, scrolling through his phone aimlessly and occasionally singing along to the radio playing quietly.

“Thanks for taking us out today.”

Logan looked at Emile out of the corner of his eye, curled up in the passenger seat and watching him. “Of course. You were serious about not wanting anything?”

“Yep,” Emile said, popping the ‘p’. He grinned, “I’ve already got everything I want.”

Logan thought about the day he had. He thought about Virgil and Roman most likely waiting at home, ready to rant about their day at school and gush over their gifts. He thought about Remy, not asking for more coffee before they left because he was too distracted by his family to pay any mind to the minor addiction. He thought about Declan, smiling and laughing more than Logan had seen in a while. He thought about Emile, sitting in the passenger seat next to him with a happy smile. And he thought about Thursday, when he’d get to see Patton again.

“I share that sentiment Emile.”

“I know you do, dad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Bonding! Thanks so much for the feedback guys, I love you

**Author's Note:**

> Any feedback is appreciated! Even just hop in there and tell me if you like bananas, I will cry (Especially if you don't like bananas (unless you're allergic) otherwise I will cry but still support you), can you tell I'm on an authors high? Yeah? Okay.
> 
> Catch me on Tumblr @Fortune-sides


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